Aug 21, 2006

Now everyone starting to say the same thing. It's like they have been given a script to say what they need to say.

Extracted from TheStarIPOH: Criticisms made by former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad would give the opposition more "ammo" to undermine the ruling party in the coming general election.

Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said the opposition would consider Dr Mahathir to be an "attractive product" in their marketing strategy to win votes.

He said Dr Mahathir should stop attacking the Government if he did not want to end up as a campaign tool of the opposition.

"From our experience, there had been two occasions where Umno leaders had been used to win general elections. The first was Kuli (Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah) in 1987 and later Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in 1998.

"We don’t want the same thing to repeat itself and the only way to prevent this is if Tun (Dr Mahathir) stops criticising the leadership of the present Government openly," he said.

Speaking to reporters after opening Ipoh Timor Umno division meeting here yesterday, Mahdzir said the opposition were already exploiting Dr Mahathir during their political ceramahs and gathe-rings.

In Kedah, he said, PAS had been screening parts of VCD footage showing Dr Mahathir questioning the concept of Islam Hadhari.

"Tun may not have condemned the concept deliberately but PAS leaders are using the footage as a way to get people to reject the noble idea mooted by our Prime Minister," he said.

On a related matter, Mahdzir said he would not stop the Kedah Malay Chambers of Commerce from inviting Dr Mahathir to speak at a seminar on Wednesday.

"There is nothing wrong in inviting the Tun as long the organiser ensures that the function will not be turned into another platform to hit out at the Government," he said.

Earlier, the division passed several resolutions urging Umno to take stern action against members who condemn, slander and belittle the party leadership.

Members later unanimously took a stand to support the leadership of party president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.